Ink-supplying means for printing presses



Nov. 6, 1928, 1,690,888

A. s. J. DAWE.

INK SUPPLYI NG MEANS FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed ootys, 1927' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- A. S. J. DAWE INK SUPPLYING MEANS FOR PRINTING PRESSES Nov; 6, 1928. 1,690,888

Filed Oct. 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedNov. 6, 1928..

PATENT OFFICE.

Antenna s. .1. DAWE, or nan'rmonn nnnynmn.

INK-SUPPLYING MEANS. FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

Application tiled October 5, 1927. Serial No. 224,156.

This invention relates to an attachment I for printing presses for supplying ink to an ink fountain. In carrying out the invention, I provide a tank or reservoiradapted to contain a relatively large supply of ink, and this is supported upon the frame of the press adjacent the ink fountain and above .the same. This reservoir has an outlet spout arranged to deliver ink from the tank to the fountain,

and a float in the'fo untain controls a valve which regulates thefiow of ink from the reservoir so as to maintain a constant level of ink' in the fountain. In printing presses embodying a large number of printingcylinders and ink fountains, one of my attachments will be placed at each ink fountain, and each reservoir may contain suflicient ink for the days run, thus savinga large amount of hand laborrequired on such presses for keeping the fountains replenished. Furthermore, as the ink level in a fountain will always remain the same, the printing will always be uniform.

' In order that the attendant who supplies ink to the reservoirs may know when a reservoir needs replenishing, I provide a float in each reservoir-and an indicator attached to the 'float for visually indicating the .ink level in the reservoir.

As the delivery s out and the valve controlling the outlet 0 ink from the same may require cleaning at times, the reservoiris swiveled to the ,press frame so that it may swing away from the fountain to make the spout and float controlled valve more accessible for cleaning. A hand controlled valve is provided for cutting off the supply of ink to the spout so that the latter may be drained with- I out the loss of ink in the reservoir when it is desired to clean the spout.

I have shown the attachment in 'connelctio n' with'a double ink fountain having a dividmg' partition provided with'a port and a hand controlled valve for opening andclosing this port. When the port is open, the sameink level will be maintained in'both compartments; but when itis desired tosupply inktto "the press from onlyone compartment, the

valve may be closed and only the compartmerit containing the float will receive ink.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of part of a'printing press having my attachment thereon;

Fig. 2 is atop planview of the attachment and also of the ink fountain, the latter being partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is a section through the reservoir on the line 33 of Fig. 2, the ink fountain also being shown in transverse sectlon;

Fig. 4 1s a side elevation of the reservoir, showing the side next to the fountain;

. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Fig.

4'; and,

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, A indicates a part of the frame of a web printing press, and B indicates an ink fountain of the ress. A supply tank C is mounted u 'on the rame adjacent the ink fountain. T e tank shown in the drawing is oblong and has a supporting pin 1 projecting from its lower side near one of its corners, and this pin fits within'a bearing 2 secured to the press frame. The tank is thus pivotally'support'ed so that it ma swing in a horizontal plane toward and from the ink fountain. The tank has a sliding cover 3, which maybe pulled outwardly topermit ink to bepoured into the tank, and it also has a .substances from passing with the ink to the ink fountain. Below the screen 4, the tank has an outlet opening 5 in. one side which may be closed by a rotary valve 6, the latter mounted upon a valve stem 7, which extends horizontally through the tank and is provided with a thumb-piece 8, by which the valve may be turned? An outlet pipe or spout 9, surrounding the opening 5, projects laterally from the tank, and an arm 10 projects laterally from the outer end of the spout. A lever 11 is centrally pivoted to the arm 10 and carries a valve 12, at one end, which fits against the outer end of'the spout and is ada ted to open and close the same, A wire lin 13 is connected to the opposite end of the lever and 4 extends downwardly therefrom into the ink fountain, and a: float 14 is arranged upon the lower end of this link." The arrangement is such that the float will open the valve 12 when the supply of ink in the fountain goes below a certain level, and-ink'from the reservoir will flow through the spout 9 into the fountain until' the required level therein is restored, when the float will close the valve 12 and the flow of ink from the reservoir will stop.

The reservoir. is provided with a float 15, arranged on the lower end of an indicator rod 16, which'slides vertically in a sleeve 17 arranged in the top of the reservoir. A disk 18 is arranged ,upon the top of the rod 16 and the height of the liquid in the reservoir is determined by comparing the position of this disk with respect to the index arm 19,

F it may be necessary tojfeed ink from only projecting horizontally from a support which is attached to and extends above the reservoir. The arm 19 is shown with an opening 19, concentric with the disk 18, the purpose of this opening being to permit the operator, while pouring ink into the reservoir,

to see the disk 18. I I The reservoir is pivotally mounted upon the press in order that it maybe swung away from the fountain so that the spout9 may be readily removed for the purpose of cleaning the same, and also for the purpose of flushing out the tank when necessary.

The reservoir maybe of any desirable size and maycontain ink enough fora days run of the press. It will be evident from the foregoing that the inkwill be fed to'the ink fountain only asfast as it is-u'sedflby the press and that a constant level will be kept inthefountain.

. The fountain 1 is shown with a transverse 1 partition 21', having an opening 22 in its lower rtion, and a valve 23 is provided for clos mg this opening. As shown, the valve com-1 prlses a flatplate pivoted at 24 to the 'partition and having a handle 25.- "By raisin the handle, the'opening 22 will-be uncovere and' ink ma flow from one compartment 6 oflthe fountain to the other compartment 6, and by lowering the handle communication between the compartments will be cut off. It be understood that separate ductor rolls 26 and 27 extendinto these compartments, but, at times in the operation of the press,

one com ar'tment; Withthe arran ement' deseri he'reimasupply of ink'may kept at even hei ht in the compartment 6 to sup-' g roller. while the sulpply of ply one l ink to the other compartment b wi e cut off or, if it is desiredfto use ink from compartments, the valve 23 will be opened.

2. The combination with a printing press frameand an ink'fount'ai-n, of an ink reser-; ,voir ,swiveled to the frame and adapted to swuig toward and from the'fountain, a spout on the reservoirffor deliverin into the fountain, a valve controlling t e flOWfOf'lnk. from the spout to the fountain, and a float in the fountain-controlling said valve. 3. The combination with a printing; press of an ink fountain having a transverse. par-m tition dividing it into two. compartnfents, said partition having a port therethrough, a hand operated valve fon closing'said port, a reservoir above the fountain and having an outlet for delivering ink into one of said compartments, a Valve controlling said outlet,

and a float in said-latter compartment connected to said valve. I

' In testimony whereof I hereunto ,afiix my signature.

- nhnun s. J. DAWE; 

